Cooling fan for radiators and the like

ABSTRACT

A cooling fan for radiators and the like in which the hub of the fan has a plurality of radially extending hub blades extending across the face of the hub and forwardly of said face, the hub blades serving to distribute and take up the flow of air which impinges against the hub and throw or deflect the air into the path of air flow that is created by the main blades.

United States Patent 1191 Warhol 1 COOLING FAN FOR RADIATORS AND THELIKE [76] Inventor: John G. Warhol, 14041 Vernon Ave., Oak Park, Mich.48237 [22] Filed: Mar. 26, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 344,976

[52] U.S. Cl. 1. 416/175; 416/201; 416/203; 416/245 [51 Int. Cl. F04d29/28 [58] Field of Search 416/175, 241 A, 245, 203, 416/201 A, 93, 94,198, 200

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,920,880 8/1933 Parker416/175 1,922,124 8/1933 Crosman 416/175 1,973,266 9/1934 Perry I I416/175 2,442,441 6/1948 Shellberg 416/175 2.620.970 12/1952 Palmer et211.... 416/175 X 2,801,793 8/1957 Kline 416/245 1451 May 27, 19753,095,822 7/1963 Kiefer 416/185 3.385.516 5/1968 Omohundro 416/241 AFOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 617,318 3/1961 Canada 416/185 8432113/1939 France 416/175 1,149,937 7/1957 France 416/241 A 335.430 9/1930United Kingdom 416/245 297,215 6/1932 ma 416/201 A 153,078 5/1932Switzerland 416/175 Primary ExaminerEverette A. Powell, Jr. Attorney,Agent, or FirmMax R. Kraus [57] ABSTRACT A cooling fan for radiators andthe like in which the hub of the fan has a plurality of radiallyextending hub blades extending across the face of the hub and forwardlyof said face, the hub blades serving to distribute and take up the flowof air which impinges against the hub and throw or deflect the air intothe path of air flow that is created by the main blades.

'7 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTEU MAY 2 7 I975 SHEET Y PATENTED MAY2 7 I975 SHEET COOLING FAN FOR RADIATORS AND THE LIKE BRIEF SUMMARY OFTHE INVENTION I-Ieretofore, fans for cooling automobile radiators andthe like were made of steel which added greatly to the weight,particularly when the size of the fan had to be increased to accommodateair conditioners and other accessories that were loaded on the car. Morerecently the radiator fans have been made of a plastic materialinjection molded as, for example, the radiator fan in use on theChevrolet Vega. The front of the hub portion of said plastic fan has agenerally flat or planar surface and this type of hub produces a deadspot and causes the air coming through the radiator to swirl in acircular pattern and then slowly dissipate into the outer area of thefan as it is drawn off. The slow dissipation of the air into the outerarea is due principally to the fact that the outside edges of the mainfan blades are pulling in air from the circumference or surrounding areaand thus cuts the efficiency of the fan in pulling air through the fan.This has resulted in an inefficiently operating fan.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a fan which willovercome and obviate the objections inherent in prior plastic automobileradiator fans by providing the hub portion of the fan with radial bladeswhich as the fan rotates serves as a turbine and breaks up anddistributes the flow of air hitting or impinging against the hub andthrows the air out into the path of the environment created by the flowof air of the main blades and thus discourages air coming in from theouter sides and increases the equal flow across the face of the fan.This particular air movement has its most important advantages when theengine is idling, such as when the vehicle is not in motion, as at thisstage the fan is drawing air through the radiator at a more equal rateacross the face of the hub. With this invention the entire length ofeach of the main blades of the fan is utilized, including the hub,whereas heretofore with other types of main blades, without radial hubblades, the entire length of the main blades were not utilized and as aconsequence when a portion of the main blades were not utilized itresulted in decreased efficiency. The present invention obviates thisobjectionable characteristic as the radial hub blades on the hub of thefan form a turbine which cooperates with the main blades to effect theimproved result.

Another object of this invention is to provide the hub of a fan with aplurality of radially extending blades extending across the face 'of thehub and forwardly of said face, the hub blades serving to distribute andtake up the flow of air which impinges against the hub and throw ordeflect the air into the path of air flow that is created by the mainblades. The radial hub blades may be formed as part of the hub or may bea separate unit which is attachable to the hub of a fan which lacks suchhub radial blades.

While this invention has a particular application for automobileradiator fans, its use isbroader in scope in that it may be utilized inconnection with any cooling fan used for cooling radiators and the like.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings: FIG. 1 is a frontview of the fan forming this invention with the main fan blades brokenaway.

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view showing the hub portion of the fanwithout the main blades for the purpose of clarity.

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a rear elevational view thereof.

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view showing the fan mounted on the spiderand showing the pulley with a portion in section.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the spider to which the hub of the fanis attached.

FIG. 7 is a front perspective view of a modification or simulatedadapter hub which is attachable to the hub of a fan which lacks the hubradial blades.

FIG. 8 is a rear plan view of FIG. 7; and

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of the FIG. 7 embodiment.

FIGS. 1 6 EMBODIMENT The structure shown in FIGS. 1-6 will be firstdescribed. In this embodiment the fan unit generally indicated at 10 isinjection molded of a suitable thermoplastic material and integrallyformed and same comprises the hub generally indicated at 12 with spacedmain radially extending blades 14 radiating from the hub, with the frontface 16 of the hub provided with spaced radially extending hub blades 18which form a turbine generally indicated at 20 at the front of said hub.The aforedescribed unit is integrally molded of plastic in an injectionmolding machine so that it may be economically produced.

More specifically, the central hub 12 comprises a shell-like bodygenerally indicated at 21, having an annular side wall 22 with a frontend wall 24 and an open rear end. The front end wall 24 forms the frontface 16 of the hub. The front end wall 24 is formed with a plurality ofspaced radially extending blades 18 and said blades 18 have a generallytriangular shape in side elevation, with the widest part of the bladeadjacent the outer peripheral edge 26 and narrowing towards the centerso that the lead edge 28 of said hub blade is inclined inwardly from theouter peripheral edge towards the center. The side profile of the bladeis best seen in FIGS. 1 and 5. The outer peripheral edge 26 of the blade18 is on the same plane as the annular side wall 22 of the hub and theinner end 30 of each of the blades is short of the axis of the hub.

The front end wall 24 is provided with a plurality of spaced openings 32which are adapted to receive fastening bolts 34 for securing the fanunit 10 to the spider generally indicated at 36. The front end wall 24is also provided with a central opening 38 for receiving the dome-shapedcentering pin 40 of the spider 36.

The interior of the shell-like body 21 is provided with a plurality ofspaced reinforcing ribs 42 which extend from the rear of the front endwall 24 rearwardly to the rear edge 44 of the annular side wall 22. Theedge 46 of each of said reinforcing ribs 42 tapers or inclines towardthe outer end, as best seen in FIG. 2.

The main blades 14 which are formed integrally with I the fan unitextend radially of the hub and each of said blades is positioned so thatthe lead edge 48 of the blade is adjacent the front end wall 24, withthe rear edge 50 of the blade being adjacent the rear of the hub. Thesaid main blades while each substantially flat extend at an inclinedangle from the front towards the rear. The fan is adapted to rotate in aclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 1. If the fan is to rotatecounterclockwise, the main blades 14 would be positioned so that thelead edge 48 would be positioned to the left side adjacent the front endwall 24, instead of to the right side as illustrated in the drawings.

The shaft for supporting the fan unit is generally indicated at 52 andsaid shaft is stationary. The fan pulley generally indicated at 54 issupported on the shaft 52, and the spider 36 is secured to the pulley54, best seen in FIGS. 5 and 6. The spaced fingers 37 of the spider areprovided with internally threaded bores 56 which are alined with theopenings 32 in the front end wall 24 of the hub and the fastening bolts34 are connected thereto for securing the hub to the spider. Thedomeshaped central registering pin 40 extends through the centralopening 38 of the hub.

In mounting the hub of the fan unit on the spider, it will be seen thatthe spaces between the reinforcing ribs 42 will accommodate the spiderfingers 37. When the fan unit is mounted on the spider the rotation ofthe pulley 54 by the fan belt will simultaneously rotate the spider andthe fan unit. The fan unit may be readily attached to the spider in aminimum of time. In the manufacture, the integral forming of saidplastic fan unit results in economy in production as it eliminatesassembly of various components.

With this invention the area formed by the face of the hub is providedwith radiating blades forming a turbine which, as pointed out in theobjects, produces a result not obtainable without such a turbine. Itshould also be noted that the hub blades 18 extend forwardly of thefront vertical plane of the main blades 14.

FIGS. 7 9 EMBODIMENT FIGS. 7-9 show a modification which is adapted forattachment to existing fans in which the hub does not have the turbine.In this modification the turbine portion generally indicated at 60comprises an annular plate 62 formed with spaced radiating blades 64,all integrally formed of a thermoplastic material, which blades areidentical to the hub blades 18 previously described. The annular plate62 is provided with spaced openings 66 and with a central opening 68.The turbine plate 62 is adapted to be attached to the front of a fanunit which lacks a hub turbine and thus provides for said type of fanunit a turbine which achieves the advantage heretofore described.Attachment methods may vary and the turbine plate 62 may have a moldedback projection to fit a particular fan which it is to be mounted on orattached to.

While the fan herein described has a great application for coolingautomobile radiators, it is understood that its broadest application isas a cooling fan for any radiators and the like.

What is claimed is:

1. A cooling fan for cooling radiators and the like comprising, acentral hub and a plurality of radially extending main blades extendingradially outward of said hub, said hub having a flat front face and aplurality of radially extending hub blades extending across the face ofthe hub and forwardly of said face, said front face and hub blades beingintegrally formed of plastic material, said hub blades radiating from acommon axis, each said hub blade having a generally triangular shape inside elevation with the widest part of the blade adjacent the outerperipheral or top edge of the blade and reducing in width toward thecenter of the flat front face so that the lead edge of the blade isinclined inwardly from the outer peripheral or top edge toward thecenter and with the opposite sides of the blade being planar andparallel to each other and of a uniform thickness, with the outerperipheral edge of the blade extending substantially to the outerperipheral edge of the flat front face of the hub and the inner end ofthe blade being adjacent the axis or center of the flat front face, saidhub blades forming a hub turbine and serving to distribute or break upthe flow of air hitting the hub portion of the fan and directing saidair outwardly into the path of environment of the flow of air created bythe main fan blades.

2. A fan as set forth in claim 1 in which the hub, main fan blades andhub blades are injection molded and integrally formed of a thermoplasticmaterial.

3. A fan as set forth in claim 1 in which the hub turbine is formedseparately from that of the fan hub and is adapted to be secured to thefront of the fan hub.

4. A structure as set forth in claim 3 in which the hub turbine isintegrally formed by injecting molding of a thermoplastic material andis formed separately from the fan hub.

5. A cooling fan for cooling radiators and the like formed of a plasticmaterial and all integrally molded and comprising, a central hub havinga shell-like body which includes an annular side wall and a flat frontend wall and an open rear end with the front end wall forming the frontface of the hub, a plurality of radially extending main blades extendingradially outward of the annular side wall of the hub and formedintegrally with said hub, a plurality of spaced radially extending hubblades formed integrally with the front end wall and extending forwardlythereof, said hub blades radiating from a common axis, each said hubblade having a generally triangular shape in side elevation with thewidest part of the blade adjacent the outer peripheral or top edge ofthe blade and reducing in width toward the center of the front end wallso that the lead edge of the hub blade is inclined inwardly fromtheouter peripheral or top edge toward the center and with the oppositesides of the hub blade being planar and parallel to each other andproviding a blade of uniform thickness and with the outer peripheraledge of the blade being substantially on the same plane as the annularside wall of the hub and the inner end of the blade being short of theaxis or center of the front end wall, said hub blades forming a hubturbine and serving to distribute or break up the flow of air hittingthe hub portion of the fan and directing said air outwardly into thepath of environment of the flow of air created by the main fan blades,said main blades extending at an inclined angle with the lead edge ofsaid main blade adjacent the plane of the front face of the hub and therear edge of said main blade adjacent the rear of said hub.

6. A fan as set forth in claim 5 in which the interior of the shell isprovided with inwardly extending ribs.

7. A fan as set forth in claim 5 in which a spider is positioned toextend into the interior of the shell of the hub, with the hub securedto the spider and in which the spider is secured to rotatable means.

1. A cooling fan for cooling radiators and the like comprising, acentral hub and a plurality of radially extending main blades extendingradially outward of said hub, said hub having a flat front face and aplurality of radially extending hub blades extending across the face ofthe hub and forwardly of said face, said front face and hub blades beingintegrally formed of plastic material, said hub blades radiating from acommon axis, each said hub blade having a generally triangular shape inside elevation with the widest part of the blade adjacent the outerperipheral or top edge of the blade and reducing in width toward thecenter of the flat front face so that the lead edge of the blade isinclined inwardly from the outer peripheral or top edge toward thecenter and with the opposite sides of the blade being planar andparallel to each other and of a uniform thickness, with the outerperipheral edge of the blade extending substantially to the outerperipheral edge of the flat front face of the hub and the inner end ofthe blade being adjacent the axis or center of the flat front face, saidhub blades forming a hub turbine and serving to distribute or break upthe flow of air hitting the hub portion of the fan and directing saidair outwardly into the path of environment of the flow of air created bythe main fan blades.
 2. A fan as set forth in claim 1 in which the hub,main fan blades and hub blades are injecTion molded and integrallyformed of a thermoplastic material.
 3. A fan as set forth in claim 1 inwhich the hub turbine is formed separately from that of the fan hub andis adapted to be secured to the front of the fan hub.
 4. A structure asset forth in claim 3 in which the hub turbine is integrally formed byinjecting molding of a thermoplastic material and is formed separatelyfrom the fan hub.
 5. A cooling fan for cooling radiators and the likeformed of a plastic material and all integrally molded and comprising, acentral hub having a shell-like body which includes an annular side walland a flat front end wall and an open rear end with the front end wallforming the front face of the hub, a plurality of radially extendingmain blades extending radially outward of the annular side wall of thehub and formed integrally with said hub, a plurality of spaced radiallyextending hub blades formed integrally with the front end wall andextending forwardly thereof, said hub blades radiating from a commonaxis, each said hub blade having a generally triangular shape in sideelevation with the widest part of the blade adjacent the outerperipheral or top edge of the blade and reducing in width toward thecenter of the front end wall so that the lead edge of the hub blade isinclined inwardly from the outer peripheral or top edge toward thecenter and with the opposite sides of the hub blade being planar andparallel to each other and providing a blade of uniform thickness andwith the outer peripheral edge of the blade being substantially on thesame plane as the annular side wall of the hub and the inner end of theblade being short of the axis or center of the front end wall, said hubblades forming a hub turbine and serving to distribute or break up theflow of air hitting the hub portion of the fan and directing said airoutwardly into the path of environment of the flow of air created by themain fan blades, said main blades extending at an inclined angle withthe lead edge of said main blade adjacent the plane of the front face ofthe hub and the rear edge of said main blade adjacent the rear of saidhub.
 6. A fan as set forth in claim 5 in which the interior of the shellis provided with inwardly extending ribs.
 7. A fan as set forth in claim5 in which a spider is positioned to extend into the interior of theshell of the hub, with the hub secured to the spider and in which thespider is secured to rotatable means.